KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Umno will be postponing its party elections for up to 18 months due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today.

A report by media outlet Free Malaysia Today (FMT) revealed that Mohamad said the postponement is in line with the party’s constitution, adding that it has already informed the Registrar of Societies (RoS). 

"We consulted the Health Ministry and the National Security Council. We were told that we could hold elections online or postpone,” he said.

The Rantau MP said that as the party election would involve more than three million delegates from various wings, branches and divisions, this would make any form of online voting very difficult.

"It’s impossible. This is not like a general election where we just cast ballots.

"The process involves meetings and allowing the grassroots to share their views,” he was quoted as saying. 

He added that the party elections could be brought forward if the current pandemic shows signs of abating. 

Meanwhile, Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman also confirmed the postponement of the party election to news outlet MalaysiaKini.

He added that Umno’s constitution allows for internal polls to be postponed for 18 months from the date that they are due. 

"The Umno election is expected to be held in early 2023,” he said.

The Umno election was supposed to be held last year but was postponed due to the movement control order (MCO) in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Umno party elections take place every three years. The previous one was held on June 30, 2018. The current term of Umno’s office bearers is set to expire on June 30.